Last week we kicked off our special series for parents of future World Racers. Every Monday this month we’ll be sharing guest posts from parents of World Race alumni — advice, encouragement, and wisdom from those who’ve gone before you.
This week we’re hearing from Bill Chestnutt, father of Katie Chestnutt, an alumnus from the January 2011 V Squad. Bill is a Vice President and CIO for the Good Samaritan Society, a faith based non-profit health care provider. He also finds time for his passion for scuba diving. He has another daughter, Sarah, and currently lives in Beaumont, Alberta, Canada with his wife of 29 years, Ronda.
When my daughter announced she was joining the World Race, my initial reaction was, “You’re thinking of doing what?”
Like most parents, I read all I could about the World Race and quizzed my daughter about every aspect of the 11-month program. Then I launched myself into supporting her adventure.
Fundraising. Selecting equipment. Packing and repacking. Helping her decide what is essential and what is luxury. Applying the waterproofing to the tent at the last minute before it got packed. Cameras. Computers. Skype.And did I mention packing and repacking?
Amongst all this practical and essential work, though, we talked about what God would do in her life over the next year. How he would use her, how he would lead her, and how she would grow.
What we didn’t realize? How much her experience would influence me to grow, too.
The World Race changed how I prayed.
As my daughter and her team traveled around the world, I found myself following not just her blogs, not even just her team’s blogs, but the blogs of her whole squad.
Through those blogs, I began to reflect on the experiences each squad member shared. The ideas they expressed challenged me to dive deeper into the Word. Before long, as I felt their challenges and saw how their fellow Racers were stretching their faith, their stories began to stretch my faith, too.
Reading the blogs became part of my daily routine and began to shape my Bible study and devotions. The way these kids prayed with intention – I began to look at my own faith more intentionally and to pray more intentionally. I discovered that although I was comfortable “praying without ceasing,” I was cheating God by not praying intentionally.
The World Race changed how I trusted God.
Fathers want to protect their daughters.Naturally, before the Race began, I looked at the political situations of the countries my daughter would be visiting. I researched. I worried. I asked God, “Will she be safe?”
Part way through the year, though, I noticed I had just stopped worrying. When others asked me if I was concerned when my daughter went to bars in Thailand to challenge human trafficking or ministered in countries closed to Christ, I realized I wasn’t.
Were there risks? Of course. But I had the assurance that she was surrounded by God’s love. I realized that if my daughter was solid enough in her faith to trust in her father God for her safety, I could too.
The World Race changed how I valued other perspectives.
As my daughter shared her ideas of what faith is and how it could come to life, I found myself more and more interested in the many ways faith takes shape all around me.
I work for a faith-based organization. We start every team meeting with reflection or prayer and have dedicated devotion time every Friday morning. As my daughter’s Race progressed, I began to intentionally ask people how and why they worship the way they worship, why they believe what they believe, and what in their lives had shaped their spiritual foundations.
I always believed that within the love of Jesus there was opportunity for diversity. My daughter’s World Race sparked my desire to better understand that diversity, and to value it as an expression of God’s will.
I expected my daughter to return from the Race changed; the surprise was how the Race changed me, too. A year after her return, I continue to read Racers’ blogs, praying with intention, trusting in God more than myself, and seeking to understand new ways to follow him.
If any future World Race parent were to ask me how the Race changed me, I would simply answer: “Read the blogs!”
We’ll hear from another World Race alumni parent next Monday, so make sure you’re subscribed to receive our updates in your inbox.
